P. VERGILI MARONIS ÆNEIDOS LIBER DECIMVS - Vergil's Æneid Book X

Jove the Father said these things with few words. But golden Venus did not
Reply with words so few:

"O Father, O power everlasting of men and the cosmos,
-- For what else be there that we are now able to beseech? --
Dost thou see how the Rutuli do act insolently, and Turnus is borne
Through the midst on ensigned mounts and blazing in favorable
Mars rusheth he headlong? City walls not yet closed cover the Teucri.
Wherefore betwixt their gates shall battles enjoin, and at the very palisades
Of the walls themselves, and fill wave after wave the moats with blood?
Æneas is unknowing, he is away! Never are they to be lifted
From their siege -- this thou willst not allow? Again an enemy threatens the walls
Of a young and growing Troy? Surely not another army gathered
And again against the Teucri doth that Aetolian from Arpi come,
The son of Tydeus? Yea verily, I believe that on me shall wounds be inflicted,
And though thy daughter I am by mortal arms restrained.
If without thy peace and if thy will was unwilling that the Trojans
Should seek out Italy, then let their sins be paid, nor to them
Shouldst thou offer any aid; but if not, and so many of thy words they followed,
Which both gods and dead did give them, why now is anyone able
To o'erturn thy commands, or why do new orlays hold sway?
Why should I recall the burnt out fleets on the Erycinian shore,
Or what of the King of Storms and his raging winds
Driven from Aeolia, or that sent from the clouds was Iris?
Now even the Realm of the Dead -- for once remained unsullied
Was this region of the cosmos -- she moves, and to the world above was the fury sent out,
The fury Allecto, who hath through the midst of Italians' cities raved mad!
No longer am I by promises of empire moved. We once hoped for such things,
While Fortune was favorable. Let those who win be those thou wouldst rather win.
If there is no realm which to the Teucri thy wife may grant --
Oh, a hard woman she is -- then by the smoky ruin of fallen Troy, Father,
I swear being witnessed: be it allowed that sent away from arms
Be unharmed Ascanius -- be it allowed my grandson to survive?
Let Æneas be safely buffeted upon the unknown waves,
And some way out shall Fortune grant, oh let it be so!
Had I the strength to protect him and take him from dread battle!
Mine is Amathus, mine is lofty Paphus and Cythera,
And Idalian homes. With arms set aside, let him un-gloried
Live out his life there. With a great decree command thou,
Let Karthage overwhelm Ausonia. Nothing thence will against the cities
Of Tyre stand opposed. What was the use that they escaped the plague of war?
Or the use of them fleeing through the midst of Argolic fires?
And through so many dangers of the sea and so many dangers of ruined lands they suffered,
All the while these Teucri do seek out Latium and reborn Pergamum?
Was it not better to upon the glowing embers of their homeland settle,
On the ground where Troy once was? The Xanthus and Simoïs
Return to them, I beg, and to the wretched Teucri give second return to
Their destinies of Ilium."

                                          Then queenly Iuno,
Goaded by a grave rage spake:

                                                  "Why has thou driven me to my deep silence
Break, and to demean my long-hidden pain with spoken words?
In regards to Æneas -- did any of men and gods compel him
To undertake wars or to declare himself an enemy to the king, to Latinus?
Italy he sought out because of the fates were the authors of that prophecy -- yea, let it be so --
That driven on was he by Cassandra's ravings. Or to leave his camp
Did we convince him, or to entrust his life to the winds?
Are we to blame that to a boy he left the outcome of war, his walls to him entrusted?
And did we force him to break Tyrrhenian treaties and stir up quiet peoples?
Which god drove him to deceit, what hard power of ours hath done it?
Where in this is Iuno? When hath been sent down Iris?
Is it unworthy that the Italians have surrounded this Troy with flames,
This newborn Troy, and that Turnus settles on the land of his fathers,
Which once belonged to Pilumnus his grandfather, of whom the goddess Venilia was mother?
Why with soot-black torch did the Trojans show violence upon the Latini,
That upon another's land they press on their yoke and scatter all the natives' plunder?
What of them taking their pick of fathers-in-law and taking from bridegrooms their betrothed?
They ask for peace with outstretched hand, yet fasten to their sterns their weapons?
Thou were able with thine own hands to carry off Æneas from the Greeks,
And to place about the man a cloud and winds thou plied, thou empty winds!
And thou were able to their full fleet transform into nymphs!
But for us to have in turn to offered aid to the Rutuli -- this is unlawful?
Thou saiest, "Æneas is unknowing, he is away!" Let him be unknowing -- and away.
Paphus and Idalium belong to thee? As do the high peaks of Cythera?
Why dost thou try a city weighed down by wars and rouse their harsh hearts?
Doth it seem to thee that we do try to o'erturn the fading power of Phrygia
Root and stem? We? Who was it who threw the wretched Trojans before the Achivi?
What was the cause that there was a mustering of arms,
Betwixt Europe and Asia? Did they dissolve their treaties in secret?
Yea, with me as his leader, this Dardanian adulterer hath around Sparta laid out for a fight?
Or did I give him weapons or perhaps fostered I some of Cupid's lust in them for wars?
At that time was it fitting that thou fear'st for thine own, for now, too late for thy complaints --
Hardly justifiable -- dost thou rise from thy throne and make worthless arguments?"